D/C: I own nothing.

Wild Cheery Bark Tea

It is used to treat colds and suppress coughs. It could be used for bronchitis, diarrhea, fever, gout, sore throat, and whooping cough. Alleviating pain and stimulate the digestive system, sometimes could be used to promote hair growth and to condition it. It is advised to not take cherry bark supplements excessively.

Zuko kept to himself, head and face covered as he gathered up herbs for the Floating White Lotus. It was something he did whenever he has the opportunity or needed to visit a certain location which only had said grew in said location. It's something that soothed his mind, simply picking herbs, flowers, mushrooms, and other things that catches his attention.

Basket full, Zuko headed out to locate Uncle Iroh so that they could head back the ship. Walking through the forest, he couldn't help but feel something bad is happened. This caused Zuko to speed up to the last place he had seen Uncle. By the time, he got to the last place he saw the man, Zuko knew… Uncle went on another misadventure…

WITHOUT PERMISSION!

The pool of water where Iroh was using as a makeshift hot spring, had several landslide-like formations. It appeared that the someone, Iroh, dragged their feet to leave behind an impression of where he was taken. "Great… earth benders."

Zuko turned around and placed the basket on a high branch before he followed the trail. Grumbling all the way under his breath, how Iroh needed to get out of trouble and not cause his hair to turn gray due to the stress the man puts him through on a daily basis.

-.-

Aang was in complete awe as he was taken on a ride by Avatar Roku's dragon, Fang. From what he had gathered, he needed to talk to the previous Avatar about something that severely required his attention. As Fang flew over a meadow as they headed towards their destination. Looking down below, he saw the familiar figure that could only be described as an annoyed Zuko.

Aang didn't know whether or not Zuko could hear him, he called out to him. "Hi Zuko!"

Down below, Zuko paused. He looked around before decidedly to look up to see… Is that Aang… on a dra… is that Fang. Aang is waving at him and Zuko slowly waved back, not knowing what to do or say at that moment. Once Aang and Fang were out of sight, Zuko turned around and walked away in a complete daze.

Zuko thanked the spirits he wasn't being pulled in for another misadventure this time around. He really needed to look for Uncle and get back to the ship. One trip to the Spirit world is far too much for him and resulted with meeting his great-gra- is that Uncle's sandal? Sure smells like it.

-.-

"Could you please put on some clothes, now?" Zuko nearly whined at the sight of his half-dressed uncle. The only response he got, is a bodacious laugh that has the teen cringe. "There, there, Zuko. I put my clothes back on."

"Good, let's get out of h-" Zuko began to say but was cut off by Iroh.

"Did you see Fang? He was flying about earlier with Avatar Aang." Iroh hummed, nudging Zuko with his elbow. Zuko resisted the urge to twitch uncontrollably. Of course Uncle saw the Aang and Fang soaring through the skies earlier. The way Iroh he said it made Zuko wonder what the man is thinking in that mind of his.

That familiar sparkle in Iroh's eyes made Zuko's fight or flight response to go haywire.

Zuko's entire posture stiffened massively. "I did, he waved at me."

"Hm…" Iroh hummed deeply, deep in thought.

"Whatever you are thinking… drop it. Please… There's so much I could take without losing my mind."

-.-

By the time they made it to the boat, Zuko immediately went off to his room. He needed to meditate on what he saw earlier, seeing the spirit form of Aang and Fang…

Fang.

This brought back the memory of when Uncle Iroh once taught Zuko about the Spirit World. Of course, Zuko believed everything that came along with that world. So when the man told him, that he had visited the Spirit World a more than a handful of times… caused Zuko to wonder how many more secrets Uncle has in the back of his mind. Far as he knew, the only people that were able to go to the Spirit World is the Avatar.

The Spirit World… It was something at that time, Zuko really wanted to go… right up until it happened. When it happened, it caused him to question everything he never knew about his family… and psyche. Mainly his psyche.

Flashback~

Zuko didn't understand what was happening to him, he felt feverish and has been hallucinating nonstop. Why did this have to happen right after his banishment as he was still healing from the burn on his face. Everything hurt and he swore, each time he attempted to do the breathing techniques Uncle had taught him… and before he knew it, Zuko no longer felt feverish.

Zuko slowly opened his eyes and couldn't help but feel lighter. He sat up with an audible groan and stretched out his arms in front of him. When he opened his eyes, the teen let out a scream at the sight of his very transparent arms. He looked back down at the pillows to see his…body!

There was a soft growl like purr that caused Zuko to pause, he slowly turned around and looked up to see a dragon. Why is there a dragon in his ro-Zuko let out a scream when the dragon reached down and used its mouth to grab hold of him. It then flung Zuko over on it's back before it became to fly off with Zuko cleaning onto the creature for dear life. They soared through the skies and before Zuko knew it… they were somewhere Zuko had never seen before. It could be described magical, mysterious, and… terrifying.

Zuko screamed out for the dragon to take him back or to at least land somewhere. Anywhere at that point. He shut his eye shut when they flew the cloudy skies out of instinct. Sensing the dragon diving, Zuko opened his eye and realized they were now in a massive meadow and there stood an unknown figure…

End of Flashback~

Zuko did not tell Uncle what had happened to him that day, even though the old man has his massive suspicions. The only person he did tell that he had met in the Spirit World, was Jee. The man simply blinked, looked away with a curse before the patted the then thirteen-year-old on the head stating that if he ever wanted to talk, he's there for the kid.

Yeah… Zuko still does not understand what happened that night. It also did not help how his feverish hallucinations grew worse once he went back into his body after that visit. Plus, meeting your great-grandfather who knew his other great-grandfather who started a massive genocide of an entire nation causes one to double think a lot of life choices.

Arriving at his room, Zuko sat on top of a mat that was in the corner of his room. He sat on the mat and began to meditate. When he opened his eyes, he was met with that familiar figure sitting across of him. "Grandfather Roku, how's Fang?"

"I need you to help your friends, Zuko." Roku stated.

"Yes, hello Zuko. How are you, Zuko? I'm doing quite alright, thank you. How's life, Zuko? I don't know, I'm being accused of following my friends." Zuko huffed out, he ignored the pointe look of his great-grandfather's spirit was giving him. "What? I just want to become a simple tea maker or herbalist, maybe both. I haven't decided yet."

"Zuko…"

"I know, I know. You need to help your friends, as they are the ones that keep me grounded and help me keep my sanity. Even though they make me question it all the time." Zuko only continued, Roku simply sat there and listened to the teen's rant. He knew it was bound to happen, it was a matter of time. Better now than a middle of a fight. "And today! I saw Fang flying off with Aang! Did you have anything to do with that?"

"Go to the Five Sages Capital Temple, your friends will require your assistance." Roku said before disappearing once again.

"….why do I ever bother any more…"

TBC.

Would anyone be interested in being a beta for this story?